>>> FOR OVER 35 YEARS, PHYLLIS CORNFELD HAS WORKED AS AN ART
INSTRUCTOR INSIDE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY IN
ALL LEVELS OF SECURITY, FROM COUNTY JAIL TO DEATH ROW.
HER BOOK ENTITLED "SELL BLOCK VISIONS, PRISON ART IN AMERICA,"
WAS INCARED BY ARTWORK MADE BEHIND BARS.
I SPOKE WITH HER TO LEARN HOW SHE BECAME INVOLVED WITH
TEACHING ART AND CORRECTION INSTITUTIONS AND TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THE CREATIVE ARTS CAN HAVE ON THE
INCARCERATED. >> I AM TALKING ABOUT WHAT I'M
CALLING TRUE CREATIVITY. WHICH -- IT'S NOT THE FRONTAL
LOBE TELLING ME WHAT ART SHOULD LOOK LIKE OR IF I CAN DO THIS OR
IF I CAN DO THAT. IT'S WORK, IT'S WORK THAT COMES
FROM A VERY DEEP PLACE IN A PERSON.
THE VISUAL THAT I HAVE COME TO ME OVER THE YEARS IS THIS SORT
OF FIERY COIL. DEEP IN EVERY HUMAN BEING THAT
HUMANITY ALL THROUGH HISTORY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WANTING AND
CREATING BEAUTY AND WANTING TO CREATE BEAUTY.
AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED, THEY HAVE VERY LOW
SELF-ESTEEM. THEY HAVE HEARD NOTHING BUT
NEGATIVITY ABOUT THEMSELVES. THEY'VE BEEN TRAUMATIZED.
IT HAS JUST KEPT THAT BEAUTIFUL HUMAN CAPACITY IMPRISONED.
WHAT I DO IS I DON'T REACH IN TO PULL IT OUT.
WHAT I DO IS DISAPPEAR ALL OF THE OBSTRUCTIONS.
AND THEN, BAM, IT'S OUT. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN ALL
THE ARTWORK. >> AND I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT
POINT OF THAT NATURAL HUMAN, YOU KNOW, CREATIVITY THAT WE HAVE
INSIDE OF US. BECAUSE YOU STATED THAT
UNPLUGGING IS YOUR PRIMARY FUNCTION AS AN ART TEACHER.
AND IT KIND OF HELPS THESE ARTISTS REALIZE THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S WITHIN THEM. SO WHAT ARE YOUR WAYS OR
TECHNIQUES THAT YOU USE FOR STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT
MIGHT BE HESITANT TO GET THEM TO BEGIN CREATING ART?
>> WELL, THE FIRST OF ALL, THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, THEY'RE VERY
STRICT RULES IN MY CLASS. ONE OF THEM IS THEY'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO SPEAK PERSONALLY. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT'S
HORRIBLE. BUT THEY TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES
AND THEIR LIVES AND THEIR CRIMES AND THEIR MISERY AND ALL OF THAT
ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK IT
OUT LOUD IN THE ART CLASS. IMMEDIATELY, THE EGO IS QUIETED.
AND THEY'RE IN A PLACE OF NOT KNOWING.
THEY ALSO ARE NOT PERMITTED TO EXPRESS NEGATIVITY.
THAT'S NOT ABOUT THE ART BUT IT'S ABOUT THEIR SPEECH AND
THEIR EVEN THEIR PHYSICAL POSTURE.
AND WE DON'T TALK. WE DON'T SPEAK CASUALLY IN ART
CLASS. SO IMMEDIATELY, THE ONLY THING
THERE IS TO DO IS TO CREATE THIS ART.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE MAN DID A LANDSCAPE.
BUT HE DID IT UNSURELY AND QUICKLY.
I SENT HIM BACK TO SPEND MORE TIME ON IT.
BY THE TIME HE BROUGHT IT IN, IT WAS QUITE BEAUTIFUL.
THE MAN WAS HOLDING THE PIECE IN HIS HANDS AND CRYING.
HE WAS CRYING AND SAYING "I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS." AND THAT'S PURCHASE NUMBER 2 IS
FOR THE PEOPLE TO REALIZE, TO LEARN A PART OF THEMSELVES THAT
THEY NEVER KNEW EXISTED. >> AFTER SPENDING OVER 35 YEARS
WORKING WITH INMATES, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS POPULATION?
>> WELL, I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
JAMES GILLIGAN IS A PSYCHIATRIST.
HIS JOB WAS TO INTERVIEW THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN
FEDERAL PRISONS. HE TOLD ME, HE ALWAYS KEPT THE
SAME ANSWER TO THE SAME QUESTION AS "WHY DID DO YOU IT?"
AND HE DIDN'T MEAN THE CHILDHOOD ABUSE AND THAT KIND OF THINGS.
HE MEANT THAT MOMENT. WHY DID YOU DO IT?
THEY SAID BECAUSE I WAS DISRESPECTED.
AND THE OTHER QUOTE FROM JAMES GILLIGAN IS THAT ALL VIOLENCE IS
AN ATTEMPT TO REPLACE SHAME WITH SELF-ESTEEM.
SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I BELIEVE WE REALIZE THAT PUNISHMENT -- PUNISHMENT
STIMULATES VIOLENCE. IT DOESN'T HELP ANYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GOT THE IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE, IN THE
EARLY DAYS. THAT IF YOU PUNISH SOMEONE THEY
WILL STOP DOING IT BECAUSE IT NEVER, I WOULD NEVER WORKED.